A Dreadful Day as Severus Snape
by TotallyGetsSpock
Summary: Severus wakes from a nightmare, only to find that he is late for a Death Eater meeting. Voldemort is not pleased. He arrives at the castle in quite a state. Who will find him?  T due to paranoia.
1. Chapter 1

"LILY!"

Lily's body swims before his tear-filled eyes, her hair gleaming in the moonlight, limbs sprawled.

"Lily."

His voice cracks as he drops to his knees, embracing her, willing life to return to her body, tears flowing down his cheeks.

Snape closes his eyes, and the scene changes.

Severus pleads with Dumbledore.

"I thought... you were going...to keep her... safe."

Tears threaten to spill, but do not, leaving his eyes glossy and his vision blurred. Dumbledore leans heavily over his pensieve, dressed in his typical robes, beard hanging over the memories. He wears a sorrowful expression and hangs his head as his former student accuses him of not doing enough to protect his precious Lily.

"Her boy survives."

_As__if__that__were__any__consolation__to__me__? __Her_child_survives__. _Potter's_child__._

Snape feels as if he were going to retch- he had done all that Dumbledore had asked of him, and he had failed him. Now he expected that he also care for his worst enemy's child?

"I wish... I wish I were dead..."

"If you loved Lily Evans, if you truly loved her, then your way forward is clear."

Severus wakes with a start, cold sweat covering his brow, left forearm burning. His eyes widen in alarm and he hurriedly dresses and leaves the castle, Death Eater robes trailing behind him. He apparates to Malfoy Manor, the temporary location of Voldemort's headquarters. Before entering, he occludes his mind, and berates himself for not doing so before sleeping. He raises his left forearm and enters the gates, rushing to the door, and down the hallway to the room where Death Eaters habitually meet.

"Well, well, Severus, we are quite late, aren't we?"

"My Lord, I apologize. I was delayed-"

"I did not ask for an explanation. I trust that you have some information to share with me?"

"No, my Lord."

Voldemort's eyes widen as the skin where his eyebrows once grew is raised, and he moves to the side of Snape's head in order to speak into his ear.

He speaks in a voice so quiet and silky that it might be mistaken for an affectionate whisper.

"I am not pleased, Severus."

"My Lord, shall I punish him?"

"DO NOT SPEAK OUT OF TURN, MALFOY!"

Lucius Malfoy bows his head in submission and looks to the ground.

"Our meeting is finished. I shall punish our dear Severus myself. Go."

Without a word or a moment of hesitation, every Death Eater leaves the room, eyes averted from their master, heads tucked to their chests.

Severus looks down as well, trying not to anger his master further.

"You should not have delayed in coming to me, and you should have provided me with useful information. You aren't my only servant- I could have easily used another as my spy at Hogwarts. Do not fail me again. You are dispensable. In order to make this perfectly clear to you, I will punish you. Kneel."

Snape complies, not daring to defy the Dark Lord, and once more occluding his mind.

"_Crucio__._"

Severus does his best not to cry out, barely even twitching as the agony overtakes him.

"Hm. You don't seem to be learning your lesson terribly well. Give me your wand."

Snape retrieves his wand from his cloak and gives it to Voldemort, hand shaking slightly, and paling as he does so.

Voldemort gives a cruel smile and draws himself up to his towering full height, this time reciting the spell with even more enthusiasm, both wands in hand.

"_CRUCIO__!_"

The intense pain hits Snape like a physical blow. He falls to the floor, eyes screwed tightly shut, hands balled into fists, lips pursed in order to prevent himself from screaming, teeth digging into his bottom lip.

As the spell begins to wear off, he remains still, breathing deeply.

"_Sectumsempra__!_"

Severus instantly regrets teaching his master that spell as he feels the power of both wands slashing his skin- first his arms, then his stomach and legs. Voldemort makes two last slashes on his calves, these deeper than the others, cutting deep into the muscle.

"Leave me."

Voldemort returns Snape's wand to him.

Snape attempts to do so, pushing off of the floor, wincing as each cut is pulled by the movement, then shuffling out of the room as fast as he can. He limps down the hallway, blood dripping onto the Malfoys' carpet, nearly falling as he reaches the door and steps down, catching himself, then stumbling to the gate, pushing it open, and going to the edge of the wards.

Once he is outside of the wards, he disapparates. It feels as if the world were compressing in on him for a few moments, until he reaches the road outside of Hogwarts.

As soon as the castle is in sight, he collapses.

Author's note:

Alright, so I'm being a bit harsh on Snape. But you can't have hurt/comfort without the hurt.

Snape lovers: I know I keep beating him up. That is so painfully obvious that even _Potter_ could see it. You can bemoan my sadism in reviews. Although, to be honest, I don't see how you forced yourself to read down to this note if you find this to be disturbing.

So, what think you? Who should be there for poor Severus?


	2. Chapter 2

_Earlier____that____evening_

"Hey, Harry, can I borrow the Invisibility Cloak?"

Potter eyes him inquisitively.

"Why?"

"I heard Malfoy and Pansy were out on a midnight excursion."

Ron mimes vomiting. Harry chuckles. Hermione rolls her eyes.

"Alright, but I have to finish that stupid Potions essay on the properties and uses of boomslang skin. You go on."

"Come on, Harry, you've gotta come with me!"

Hermione glares.

"Neither of you should leave the castle tonight. Especially you, Harry. That essay is due in _two__days_ and you haven't even started on it yet!"

"I know, I know, 'Mione. I'll stay and work on it."

Harry sighs.

"Well, I guess I'll go alone, then. If you hear screaming, well..."

"We get the picture. Go."

Hermione all but shoves Ron out of the common room.

"Alright, alright, I'm going! Merlin are you impatient!"

Ron leaves the common room, then remembers that he would need the Marauders' map, as well, and turns back.

"Polyjuice potion."

The fat lady waves her arm and the panel opens, allowing him entrance.

"Harry?"

Potter is studying a page intently, but when interrupted, puts the piece of parchment that has yet to become his essay in the potions book and slams it shut, looking up at Ron.

"What is it now, Ron?"

Ron is taken aback, but manages to find the words he was looking for, barely.

"I, um, need the...mmmap. The M-Marauders' map."

"It's upstairs in my trunk. You'll have to fetch it yourself."

"Th-thanks, Harry."

Potter only grunts in response.

Ron hurriedly dashes up the steps to the boys' dormitory, stumbling over his own feet a few times in his haste. Once he reaches his room, he begins rooting through Harry's trunk, and after a few minutes' search, finds the map, leaving Harry's belongings strewn over the floor by his bed. He would deal with Harry's fury later.

He rushes back down the steps, out the common room, and into the hallway. He draws his wand and recites the words necessary to use the map.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good. _Lumos_."

The map comes to life and shows that Malfoy and Pansy are by the entrance, so he heads that direction, donning the cloak and stowing the map beneath it.

Finally, he reaches the entrance, again referencing the Marauders' map. He finds that he is near to the two lovers' dots, and smirks mischievously, watching as he nears them. "_Nox__." _When he's within a few feet of them, he makes his move.

"BOO!"

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Draco."

Pansy pulls him back into a kiss and Malfoy relaxes once more.

This annoys Ron, who throws dirt at the couple.

"Oi! Who was that?"

Ron chuckles, and Malfoy tracks him using this small sound, nearly touching him before he leaps out of his grasp.

"Come on, Pansy. Let's get back inside."

Malfoy puts his arm around Pansy's shoulders and ushers her inside.

Once Draco has left, Ron starts laughing maniacally, and crumples to the ground, attempting to control the laughing fit. Composing himself, he takes out the map.

"_Lumos_."

Another dot has appeared.

A/N: Who's the dot?


	3. Chapter 3

Albus Dumbledore is taking an evening stroll, in substitution for his usual pacing. The air, while chilly, is refreshing and smells of freshly cut grass, the last remnants of light hanging on the horizon, stars beginning to appear. Overall, a lovely, peaceful night.

Suddenly the silence is broken by shouting and uproarious laughter. Dumbledore makes his way to the source of the sound, periwinkle robes billowing in the evening air as he glides across the lawn.

He soon finds Ron, cloak askew, on the ground, still giggling.

"What are you doing out of bed?"

"Nothing, Headmaster."

"Then I suggest that you return to the castle."

Ron nods and snorts as he walks away.

Dumbledore knows that he is merely going to hide behind the nearest bush, but let it pass, continuing his walk.

Ron stays hidden, waiting for the headmaster to depart.

He hears a soft thud, and looks at the map. Yet another dot, near the gate. He looks up from the map, squinting to distinguish the black mass from the ground. He looks back at the map, hardly believing his eyes. Severus Snape.

Reluctantly, at first, he walks towards the figure, pushing open the gate.

"Professor?"

He steps gingerly, fearing Snape's wrath.

"Professor Snape?"

Severus doesn't stir. Ron becomes even more apprehensive, and begins to worry that his Potions professor is dead, until he sees his chest rise slightly. _Not__dead__yet__, __then__..._

Ron carefully flips Snape onto his back, and sees that he is wearing a Death Eater mask. He gasps in surprise, his suspicions confirmed, but removes the mask. Underneath, Snape's pale face has dark rings beneath his eyes, and is covered in gashes and dried blood, some of it matting his already filthy hair, adding blood clots to the mess. He looks his professor over. Deep wounds cover his body, many of them still leaking blood at intervals. Mud from the road clings to his robes. He looks close to death.

"_Expecto__Patronum_!"

Thankfully, the first attempt works.

"Tell Professor Dumbledore that I have found Professor Snape. He is close to death."

The terrier runs off to inform Dumbledore of this development. Meanwhile, Ron does his best to keep Snape from bleeding out, but not wanting to risk infecting his professor, he first cleanses the wound, then closes it.

"_Scourgify__"_

"_Vulnera__Sanentur_"

A few of gashes close, but not all of them. Ron repeats the spell until every wound is clean and closed.

Snape's hair is still filthy, and this bothers Ron, for some reason.

"_Scourgify_"

Snape is still very pale, and hasn't moved. There is no incantation for replenishing blood, and even if there were, he has exhausted himself by casting so many spells. Luckily, he doesn't have to worry about casting another spell.

Professor Dumbledore, accompanied by Madam Pomfrey, stands a few feet away. Both seem shocked and slightly horrified, Dumbledore wringing his hands.

"What happened?"

"I dunno, I just found him lying here."

"You said he was close to death?"

"Still is. Just managed to close the wounds. He still lost a lot of blood."

Dumbledore pats Ron on the back and gives him a small smile.

"You did very well, Ron. You may have saved Professor Snape's life. But we need to get him to the castle. _Mobilicorpus_."

Snape's body floats with them as they hurry back into the castle.

A/N: Ron is a pretty skilled wizard. I don't think it's too unrealistic for him to know a few more spells than he's officially been taught. D.A., remember?

Anyway, as usual, I love flamers! It shows that you have to guts to speak your mind. If you actually liked it, I ask that you read my other Snape fic, titled _Severus__?_ . You might enjoy it.

No pressure to review, although it does make me happy when you do so.


	4. Chapter 4

Albus removes the charm from Severus and carefully lays him on a cot in the hospital wing.

Severus is dreadfully pale, a full three shades lighter than normal, breathing shallowly and still covered in mud and dried blood, soaked Death Eater robes clinging to his skin.

Madam Pomfrey casts a diagnostic charm. He has three cracked ribs and a fever, both tibias and fibulas are fractured, and he has lost a considerable amount of blood. She spells blood-replenishing potion, a nutrient potion, a fever-reducing potion, and skele-gro into his stomach, removes Snape's Death Eater robes with magic, then conjures nightclothes, and charms them to take the robes' place, setting the black wool garments aside.

"_Scourgify__!_"

Madam Pomfrey puts more energy into this spell than Ron did, and Severus is clean within a few seconds, but has still not awoken.

Dumbledore conjures a comfortable blue armchair at Severus's bedside and sits down.

Madam Pomfrey sets the next dose of potions on the bedside table and informs Albus that she will return in four hours and administer them. Albus nods and dismisses her.

Severus stirs slightly, head lulling to the side as he emits a small groan.

"Severus?"

Snape's eyes flutter open.

"Albus?"

He takes in his surroundings, then squeezes his eyes shut in pain.

"Both of your tibias and fibulas and three of your ribs were fractured. You also have a fever. You have been administered blood-replenishing potion, nutrient potion, Skele-Gro, and a fever-reducer, as I'm sure you're aware."

Severus takes deep breaths, trying to will the pain away.

Dumbledore notices and retrieves a pain-relieving potion, silently propping Severus up and helping him drink the potion, then helping him lay down again.

"Water, please."

Dumbledore conjures a cold glass of water and again helps Severus.

"Thank you."

Albus's eyes twinkle sadly.

"You're very welcome, my dear boy."

Severus's eyes clear slightly.

"What time is it?"

"It is currently... one o'clock in the morning."

"How long was I unconscious?"

"I'm sorry, Severus, I don't know."

"Who found me?"

"Ronald Weasley."

Snape raises an eyebrow, but makes no comment.

"Well, Severus, you're to rest for the next few days. I know how bored you can become, so I'll stop in, if you wish, and you may, of course, read, and, if you feel so inclined, grade papers."

"Would Madam Pomfrey allow me to do so?"

"Probably not, in your condition, but I think you're up to it. One stipulation, however. You must stop when you feel unwell. I don't want you to aggravate your condition."

"Very well. Thank you, Albus."

Dumbledore smiles.

"Anything else I can get you?"

Severus considers for a moment.

"Not for now."

Albus begins to get out of his chair. Severus grips his wrist.

"Stay. Please."

"Very well, Severus."

Albus pats Severus lightly on the hand, gives a reassuring smile, and sits down again, watching Severus's eyes slide shut.

A/N: I'm so sorry it's short- and so late! I've been really busy. It's not going to improve, either, with 5 days until I must return to school, and the English homework that may or may not be due as soon as I step in the door. (The letter accompanying the notebook that I am to use to complete said assignment was unclear on this.) I do sincerely apologize, but I must complete it, in case I really do have to have it done before the year commences. (I have English in my second semester, which is why I'm confused.)


	5. Chapter 5

Severus's brow collects sweat as he perspires heavily, drenching himself. Dumbledore gently wipes the sweat off of Severus's face with a cool cloth, but Severus is unaware, still caught up in sleep, murmuring to himself.

"No, no. Don't touch her. Potter, leave her alone!"

"Severus."

Dumbledore whispers urgently at him.

"It's just a dream."

Severus stirs and wakes, eyes still showing no sign of lucidity.

"Professor Dumbledore? I'm sorry, I must have fallen asleep while transfiguring that squirrel into a tea cozy."

"It's fine, Severus. You did very well."

Albus attempts to keep the alarm out of his voice. Severus is hallucinating.

"Will you excuse me for a moment?"

"Certainly, sir."

Albus rushes into Madam Pomfrey's quarters.

"Madam Pomfrey! Severus is hallucinating. His fever is much worse."

Madam Pomfrey, though exhausted and bleary-eyed, hurries into the hospital wing, casting a diagnostic spell on Severus.

"106! Merlin's pants we need to cool him down!"

Poppy lifts away the blankets and puts a cooling charm on Snape's clothes, places a cool cloth on his forehead, then gives him another dose of fever-reducing potion.

Albus waits anxiously for the potion to take effect, pacing near Severus's bed. Severus's memories still haunt him, and he twists and turns in his sleep, trying to evade the blows of a phantom, struggling with thin air and wincing at invisible blows.

"Father, stop, please! Please stop hitting mother!"

Albus becomes even more alarmed. Severus is trapped in a nightmare existence. Waking him would make little to no difference. He has to cool him down.

Albus refreshes the cooling charm on the cloth on his forehead and gently wipes Severus's cheeks, jaw, neck, and shoulders with another wet cloth.

"Severus, you are at Hogwarts. Your father is not here. You are safe, in the hospital wing. It's alright, my dear boy."

Dumbledore brushes the hair away from Severus's forehead and places a kiss there, willing the potion to be effective.

He waits, sitting at Severus's side as he cries out, assuring him that all is well. Severus's eyes flicker open for a moment, close, and open once more, as if Severus is too weak to even manage this simple task. A hoarse noise escapes his throat. It takes several moments for Dumbledore to interpret it.

"Albus. You are here."

"Yes, dear boy, I am here. Can I do anything for you?"

Severus licks his lips.

"Water."

Severus gulps the glass of water that Albus conjures for him within a matter of seconds, not having drunk anything that day but the glass he was offered earlier, and being extremely dehydrated.

Snape grimaces as he attempts to sit up on his own. Dumbledore stops him.

"Rest, Severus."

Snape tries his best to glare at Albus.

"The Dark Lord- he- he was not pleased. I did not provide information."

Severus shivers and burrows into the blankets. Albus pulls the blankets up and tucks him in.

"I know, my boy. It was not your fault. It was mine."

Albus kisses Severus on the brow.

"Rest. We shall discuss this later."

Severus sighs, but complies.

Madam Pomfrey re-enters the room and casts the diagnostic spell once more. This time, his temperature is 98. She smiles weakly and leaves. Nothing else can be done for the dear professor.

A/N: I really do apologize. I should have had this out days ago. I honestly don't have a _legitimate_excuse, so I shan't provide one.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I know that italics don't always work out on fanfiction, but I like them, nonetheless.

Severus wakes slowly, once every few hours, noting the sensation of potions being spelled into his stomach and taking effect, until he finally stays awake. Light is filtering in through the stained glass windows of the hospital wing. Dumbledore has gone, and he is alone, Madam Pomfrey in her office.

_What__time__is__it__ ?_

The school clock chimes ten times. Severus snorts, then his smirk disappears. He attempts to quell the nausea, knowing that a potion would not have time to take effect before he would vomit. He breathes deeply and quickly, pushing back the bile, until he cannot do so any more, sits up painfully and retches over the side of the bed, wincing at the awful taste and sensation and flopping back on the bed in exhaustion, feeling spent.

_Where__'__s__that__moronic__healer__when__you__need__her__ ?_

After waiting as patiently as he could, making mental complaints, for about 15 minutes, he decides to act. His wand is sitting on the bedside table, and he thanks Dumbledore for this silently.

"_Scourgify_."

The vomit vanishes, but Poppy soon rushes through her office door.

"Severus Tobias Snape!"

Severus glares at her. How dare she use his father's name?

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey?" He manages to use a cool, silky tone, even though he feels farther from both than he has in about a month.(A/N: I figure that the Dark Lord takes his anger out on his Death Eaters about every month or so. Any DE fans who wish to contest this, please PM me or put it in a review.)

"You are _not_to use magic until you are well, is that clear?"

Severus stares into her eyes coldly.

"Perfectly. As long as it is equally clear that you need to fulfill _your_ duties."

Pomfrey puts her hands on her hips.

"I think I do _more_ than my duty. Who do you think put that bedpan under you, you greasy git?"

Snape rolls his eyes.

"_Please_. That only requires a simple levitation charm."

"I could have let you to sit in your own filth, but I _bothered_ to do that for you. Although, it doesn't look like you ever do the same for yourself, so maybe I shouldn't even try."

Snape's eyes burn with anger and his fists clench until his knuckles are white as he struggles to control himself.

"Interesting, then, that I just used the Scourgify charm."

Pomfrey waves her hand and makes to leave. Severus grabs her wrist.

"Where's Albus?"

"I dunno. He said he was leaving to do some work for the Order."

Severus processes this information.

"Alright. Please inform me when he returns. For now, can you at least give me water? Or would that be too much of a _bother_?"

Pomfrey's features soften.

"I'm sorry, Severus. It's just rather... trying to care for you. Now, I need to check you over and give you your potions, because I _do_happen to care. Stay still."

"Fine. But if my fever's low enough, I wish to finish recuperating in my quarters."

Madam Pomfrey checks Severus's condition with a diagnostic spell.

"Severus, you have a fever of 101. You can't leave yet. I'm sorry."

Severus exhales deeply.

"In that case, can I at least get a private room? Here, I am a spectacle for the students to laugh at. The greasy bat laying ill and injured in the hospital wing, in plain sight. Being submitted to such humiliation... Surely I am stable enough to at least be moved to another room?"

"I- I had no idea. Certainly. Yes. We can do so now, if you wish."

Snape's eyes crinkle in worry and slight disgust as he realizes that he will probably have to depend on either a levitation charm or Pomfrey's support to get out of bed and go to this room. She would probably want to use a levitation charm...

"I'm not risking putting pressure on those legs of yours for a while yet. And you're weak as a cat-"

Severus's eyes bore holes into her head.

"Due to the illness, of course, Severus," she continued. "Alright, tell me when."

Severus nods slightly in affirmation and she levitates him, carrying him to the next room, Severus shivering as the warmth that the bedclothes provided leaves him and the stone steals heat away from him, air billowing his hospital gown slightly, causing goosebumps to appear during the short journey.

Severus sighs gratefully as he is lowered onto the soft bed in his private room, then shivers once more.

Pomfrey notes this and lights a fire in the fireplace, then tucks a blanket around Severus's frail form.

Poppy conjures a glass of lukewarm water, then summons and spells fever-reducing, dreamless sleep, and nutrient potions into Snape's stomach once he finishes drinking.

Several minutes later, Severus drifts into a peaceful sleep, a welcome respite from the fever-induced horrific nightmares and delirium of before.

A/N:Can't apologize enough, but currently this is pretty well the best I can do. I have to be at school every day from about 7:00 am to 4:30 pm due to involvement in cross country. Practice often runs late, getting home takes time, then eating a meal, replenishing lost fluids, taking a shower, putting on something a little less Death Eater-feeling (workouts are painful and you always have all sorts of aches and can hardly move afterwords, on bad days) and filthy. Then I have homework and boy do I have homework, then my friends pester me for a bit, then I usually have to get the homework checked, and then I have to get some sleep. Well, I am sacrificing some sleep time in order to write because I need to write and do everything else as well and simply don't always have enough time. I will take a nap to compensate, after my cross country scrimmage tomorrow, which will make me come home very late compared to my normal time. The meet starts at 4:00, then it takes about 20 minutes or so to run it, then a 1 ½ hour journey home, or so. (Hopefully I'll be able to do my homework on the bus. Will bring earplugs.) I'll be home at six, or later (probably later) and then still have to get dinner. So my whole schedule is a bit messed up... Will try my best. With love, your Annoying American.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Sorry it's so late!

Severus woke as the stars begin to emerge from their dark veils, starlight shining down upon him, lightening his skin and making him appear years younger, resting as he used to in the hospital wing as a child. His tormentors had changed, and the severity of the abuse he received was heightened significantly, yet still he was, as he always seemed to have been, the boy with the greasy, black hair, sleeping under the eaves of his beloved Hogwarts, appearing so innocent, even after a lifetime of darkness. He is still Severus. Not "Snape", not "Snivellus", not a monster, or a traitor, or a coward. He is Severus, the boy who loved Lily.

Severus, who strayed so far away from the path he might have walked. He bears the dark mark, and too many scars to show for it. Neither light nor dark trusts him, and working for both exhausts him, causing his dark circles to deepen and darken.

He rarely gets the chance to rest- neither Dumbledore nor Voldemort allows him to. Dumbledore asks that he patrol the halls at night, teach (and prepare lesson plans), and act as head of Slytherin house, which also makes him responsible for disciplining his students. Voldemort asks that he attend Death Eater meetings, which sometimes last for hours. Between the two, he barely has time to sleep, let alone bathe.

Students fear him because he appears so ghastly, because he must, for their protection. He must continue with his charades as long as Voldemort lives, leading to pale skin due to never leaving the castle during the day, greasy hair due to lack of time to clean it, and a thinning body due to not being able to attend many meals. When he has time, he asks a house elf to bring him a meal, but so often he must grade the plethora of parchments that he assigns for his students to write, using a red quill to comment and make corrections. Students think he is cruel with his grading. In reality, he is merely trying to prepare them. If they fail in the real world, it could be the last thing they do. Better a failing potions grade and learning from mistakes than dying from ingesting an incorrectly made potion.

He is alone with his thoughts. No one has returned yet, but the window is open, so he has the stars for company.

He tries to remember their names- Draco, Sirius, Bellatrix... he smirks at the coincidence.

After star-gazing for some time, he notices that the stars seem to have changed position, but realizes that Earth has actually rotated and the stars have remained stationary.

He lays in bed, stargazing, eyes drooping, until the door clatters open and footsteps near him.

"Sorry if I woke you, Severus. Just got back from an Order meeting. I heard you were laid up, so I came to bring you the news, but I'll come back later, I guess."

He hears another loud bang and starts. It was a dream. He had had no visitors. Why had he dreamed that?

"Ah, Severus, you're awake."

Snape raises a quizzical eyebrow.

"Am I? Really?"

Dumbledore chuckles.

"Of course, my dear boy. Why wouldn't you be?"

"Never mind."

"You must be tired. Rest."

The second that his eyes seem to close, he wakes once more. Madam Pomfrey is casting a diagnostic spell on him and shaking her head.

"How high is my fever? I've been delirious."

"Still 103. Why isn't it going down?"

"Haven't you diagnosed me yet? You've waved your wand over me plenty of times."

"It looks like a simple case of wizard's flu, but it just won't go. I can't understand it."

Severus gasps for air.

"Poppy- help- me"

Pomfrey thinks quickly and performs a healing spell and levitates Severus and the pillows into a position that allows him to breathe better.

"Thank-"

Severus breaks into a coughing fit, then falls back on to the cushions, exhausted.

A/N: If I were feeling better myself, I might add more. I've been working on this when I have spare time. Well, I have borrowed time from sleeping hours as well in order to try to get a moment to work on this, but have only gotten this far, and have succeeded in demanding too much of myself, between having to run a few miles a day (today in literally BLINDING rain, but any rain is blinding when you aren't allowed to wear a hat and have to wear glasses), and about a 60 degree temperature when I am used to 80, and not getting enough sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Severus is deeply asleep, not even dreaming. Poppy is pacing worriedly as she speaks to the headmaster, nearly in tears with frustration and fear for Severus.

"It's been days, Albus- days! He hasn't improved at all. He's barely even been awake. I've been giving him the wizard's flu potion, but it just isn't taking effect! We have to move him to St. Mungo's."

Albus's eyes widen in alarm.

"We can't! The second they see the Dark Mark, they'll imprison him! No glamour charm can conceal it, Voldemort has made certain of that."

"Albus, we have no choice. We have to get help."

Dumbledore considers for a moment.

"Has it occurred to you that this may not be a _magical_ ailment, but a Muggle affliction?"

Poppy inhales sharply.

"But Albus- we can't bring a Muggle here! And we can't- Albus, no. You can't take him-"

Albus's brow furrows.

"I'm afraid we may have no choice. We may have to risk trusting him to Muggle doctors. How long will it take you to prepare?"

Poppy considers.

"Perhaps an hour or so. But we can't abandon him. He has no idea he's being moved. We have to go with him."

"I concur. But we must, of course, dress in Muggle garb. We don't want to attract too much attention."

Poppy nods.

"You-Know-Who would know in an instant if we didn't."

"Well, Poppy, I think you should get packing. Muggles don't have scouring charms so they have to pack several outfits for even a short trip, and we don't want to appear as anything but the average Muggle."

"Right. I'll pack some of _our_hospital gowns- he'd hate Muggle ones. I'll just put a glamour charm on them."

"Thanks, Poppy. I'm sure he'll appreciate it. I'll pack some Muggle clothes and books for him. Also, remember that Muggles don't enchant their bags to be larger on the inside, so they would be shocked to see bags that can hold more than they appear they will."

"I think I can remember that. No magic, except for the glamour charm. Keep your wand for emergencies only. Right. Got it."

Severus's eyes open very slightly, mere obsidian slits in his pale face. Dumbledore approaches, speaking softly.

"Severus?"

Severus groans softly, sniffs up some mucus and coughs slightly, opening his eyes a little more and parting his lips to speak, until he remembered that if he did so, he would cough again, and closing his mouth.

Dumbledore smiles in sympathy and conjures a pen and paper, which Severus can take with him to the Muggle hospital.

Severus eyes the pen quizzically then begins to write.

_Water__._

Albus conjures a glass of water and hands it to Severus who accepts it gratefully, then sets it down as he begins coughing again, choking on some of the water he has swallowed.

Albus pats him on the back, and looks to Poppy who levitates Severus gently to the fire to floo to a room closer to the main entrance, Dumbledore stepping in behind them, Severus clutching the pad and pen, still enveloped in a blanket, head lulling to his chest as he struggles to keep it aloft.

As they are about to enter the main entrance hall, Poppy takes a last look at Hogwarts for what may be quite a long time. Dumbledore opens the main doors and watches as Poppy levitates Severus outside.

"Where should we go? London?"

"Yes. We can apparate to Diagon Alley and go from there."

"But won't they recognize Severus?"

"No."

Albus throws a black cloak over Severus, putting down the hood so that it conceals his face. "After leaving there, we'll have to remove the cloak. Londoners don't wear them anymore."

Poppy looks at Albus in shocked, both eyebrows threatening to disappear beneath her hairline.

"They don't wear cloaks?"

"They just wear jackets. Cloaks have been out of style in the Muggle world for centuries."

"Really? Well that's odd. They're quite comfortable."

"Muggles think differently in some ways. While similar, there are still some differences, as few as they may be."

"Indeed."

"Well, let's go."

Albus apparates, carrying Severus and Poppy with him.

A/N: Muhahaha! Evil!

Anyway, I'll probably be rained in for a few days so you might see more. We'll see.


	9. Chapter 9

Severus mounts his broom. He has been hoping to be seeker for Slytherin since the day that he first heard of Hogwarts. Today are try-outs, and in a few minutes, they will commence.

Severus grips his broomstick a little tighter, feeling the slight grooves of the grain and the roughness of flaking varnish. As the whistle blows, he pushes off, feeling exhilaration that he does not fully express on his pale face, settling for a small smirk as the wind whips his shining hair back, robes flowing as he searches for the Snitch.

"Severus? Severus, wake up."

Severus starts, hardly realizing that he had strayed into a dream, then sighing as he realizes that he is much older and ill, not the youth of his dreams. He groans in frustration.

"What?" He snaps.

"You're in a Muggle hospital. The _doctors_ are trying to diagnose you."

Severus's brow furrows.

"Why have you trusted me to _Muggles_?"

"Severus, please understand that we had no choice. We couldn't treat you by magical means. In fact, we couldn't even diagnose you. I've never seen anything like this before, and have no idea where to even _begin_. I'm sorry, Severus, but you must allow them to treat you."

Severus eyes the IV in his left arm, considering removing it.

"Don't take it out, Severus. Apparently, that is the Muggle way of administering most of their _medicines_."

Severus points to the clear bag hanging above him on a metal frame.

"So this is one of their medicines?"

"Actually, no. The nurse said that that was just saline."

Snape raises an eyebrow.

"Alright, then..."

After a momentary pause, Severus cannot bear to remain silent.

"How did I get here?"

"Well that's a, erm, long story, heh heh."

Poppy shifts slightly from foot to foot.

Severus responds in a deathly cool, silky tone.

"Really, well, since it seems that I will be here for quite a while, I'd like to hear it."

"Listen, Sev- I don't have time right now."

Severus's eyes widen venomously.

"Don't call me Sev," he snaps.

Poppy raises her hands in defeat.

"Fine, _Severus_, I must return to Hogwarts. A few students seem to have caught some rather nasty cases of Wizard's Flu- real Wizard's flu, I mean. Whatever you have is just... weird"

"I hadn't noticed."

Poppy puts her hands on her hips.

"Stop your moaning, Severus Snape! If you stop being such a prat, I might consider telling you."

Severus rolls his eyes.

"As if I need you to tell me?"

Snape reveals a concealed wand.

"_Legilimency_."

To Severus's surprise, the spell doesn't work.

"Natural occlumens, just like you."

Poppy winks.

Severus scowls. He is not in the mood to beg, but is extremely curious as well. The two instincts clash- curiosity and fierce independence, and he is left considering which instinct he should listen to.

Poppy sighs, giving in to the urge to help him.

"Alright, I'll tell you. But you have to behave."

Severus looks up, giving her as much attention as possible, but focus shifting as the Muggle sedatives wash away his concentration.

A/N: I could apologize, but I don't feel inclined to right now. I have wayy too much to do right now to update often, and barely have time to help people with... everything I can. That, and my muse sometimes strikes me too hard and it takes a while to get my bearings and find a pencil, then the paper... No, my sweet muse is too kind and thinks it will over-burden me if it comes knocking on my brain when I'm busy, so it rarely comes anymore. That's how it is...


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I'm outrageously busy, blah blah blah. I'll write more when I can.

Albus and Poppy apparate to a sidewalk in the middle of London, Severus clutched tightly against them to prevent him from being swept away by the current. The crowd flows around them, throngs of mildly irritated or vacant people flowing around them like the Thames itself, the roar of conversation mimicking the crash of waves.

Once Albus realizes where in town they are, he hails a cab.

"St. Thomas' Hospital, please."

He moves to sit, Severus's head gently cradled in his hands, torso laid across his legs, supporting him as he eases down into the seat.

"A'right, but don't let him puke on my seats, yeh 'ear?"

Albus refrains from glaring at the cabbie for his coldheartedness.

"We won't."

The cabbie makes a harumphing noise, in a mixture of disbelief, disapproval, and plain depression at yet another gloomy, gray day, but drives anyway.

As they meander through the streets in the black cab (on a circuitous route, Albus notices), Severus shifts slightly several times along the ride, almost seeming close to waking, then being still once more.

At last, the ride comes to an end, and they step outside into what is now a full-fledged rainstorm, Albus taking all of Severus's weight into his arms, attempting to protect him from the rain and cold, holding him closely to his chest to conserve body heat as he dashes into the emergency wing and asks for immediate assistance, which is granted after about 2 minutes, Severus gently transferred to a gurney.

The other patients in the waiting room are shocked- they've all been waiting for half an hour or more, and are almost envious of the new patient who just came crashing through the door. They all believe that their predicaments are equally, if not more, important than the predicament of the unconscious man with the raven-dark locks and furrowed brow. Little do they know that he is their savior from forces that have only been rumored of in the Muggle world, and they glare at him, eyes boring holes into him slowly.

Albus notices immediately and looks back at the other occupants of the waiting room, merely meeting their gaze, and their gazes falter, all suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of inexplicable guilt, and a slight sick feeling, bile rising in their throats, suddenly noticing how fascinating their shoes were.

A man with spiky brown hair and a mustache in dark red scrubs and black sneakers and a woman with short, black, equally spiky hair and a generally sharp-looking expression, with kind green eyes and black plastic framed glasses in turquoise scrubs with a slim silver chain bearing a cross around her neck, approach Severus's gurney and begin to wheel it to another room.

They arrive at their destination, the man stopping and braking the gurney, then pulling a curtain and going behind it. The woman attempts to distract Dumbledore and Poppy from their friend's situation.

"Se-ver-us... Snape. What a peculiar name. It sounds oddly familiar..."

Albus smiles gently.

"Yes, he gets that a lot."

"So, what are his symptoms?"

Poppy responds this time, composing herself as best she can.

"He's been feverish, barely conscious, and when he is, he's hardly ever fully aware of his surroundings. He has difficulty breathing, coughing fits... His condition has been deteriorating since last week. We simply didn't know what to do."

The woman's expression softens from blank and taut across her cheekbones to a slightly wrinkled expression of empathy, and she puts her hand on Poppy's left shoulder.

"We'll do everything that we can."

The man emerges from the curtain, Severus now garbed in a Muggle hospital gown, EKG leads attached to his chest, IV line in his left hand, a small dark blue bruise beginning to form where it had been inserted, a bag containing clear liquid hanging from a metal frame, his eyes still shut, and his still form seeming ever more still and quiet, as if life were draining away from him with every drip of the IV.

A/N: I know it's late and I know it's short. I apologize. I'm trying to work on a Riversong/ Melody Pond as a young death machine fic, so we'll see...


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